A big part of plotting our cruise course is understanding what the wind, tides and currents are going to do before we head out. Wally  is our designated weather man and gets to make the final call on go-no-go. He usually checks the weather the night before we want to head out and then again in the morning, looking at both where we are and where we are headed. It’s amazing how different the weather can be just a few miles away.

He uses a NOAA app, a Windy app and the local area reports to help him make a decision.  Wind and current can cause standing wind waves which creates a very uncomfortable cruise. Couple that with a bottom that has pinnacles and it can really get ugly quick.

We knew it would be a bit “snotty” out there today and we would have a wet ride. But based on the winds speeds and wind direction, the “Weather Man” said it was a go. FYI, snotty is definitely a nautical term!!!

The Beach House has custom under hulls and a hull extension that make her run a bit smoother through rough water. These customization take some of the roll out which makes for a less uncomfortable ride.

Point Lawrence at the NE corner of Orcas Island is well known for being a place that gets ugly if the conditions all come together. Today was no exception and I would rate it a three out of ten on the ugly scale today! Yep, we have been through much worse.  I knew Bentley and Sucia might be a bit worried so I sat with them in the main cabin. They did just fine in case you were wondering.

Make sure your sound is turned up for the full effect on the video. You might notice that the waves are mainly hitting the starboard (that’s the right side for all ya landlubbers). That is because the wind is coming from the south, which we are open to as we cross the north end of Rosario Strait. Because of the distance and size of this area, on windy days the waves really fetch up. Once we crossed the strait and got past Sinclair Island the water got smooth again.

The rest of the cruise was uneventful and we motored around Guemes Island to avoid that rough water all the way down to Anacortes. Had we turned right at Point Lawrence and came down Rosario Strait or came down Bellingham Channel the water would have been hitting us on the bow and we would have been pounding through those waves for the last 45 minutes of our cruise. NOT FUN…

Now that’s better….smooth as a pond again as we motor down Guemes Channel towards our marina. Boy, do we have a salty boat after that crossing!!!